The new UK Civil Society Covenant has been launched today, marking an opportunity to reset relationships between government and civil society.
The new UK Civil Society Covenant has now officially launched. This follows the call from the Prime Minister last year for a ‘fundamental reset’ in how civil society and government work together.
This was a commitment echoed at the time by our CEO Lindsay Cordery-Bruce, who welcomed the opportunity to build a more open, collaborative and respectful partnership across all nations of the UK. From the outset, WCVA has welcomed the chance to help shape this conversation and ensure the Welsh context is learned from and respected.
THE COVENANT AND WALES
For us in Wales, the Covenant represents a step forward in how we engage with UK Government on matters that are not devolved to Welsh Government. The Covenant does not replace or override any of the strong frameworks already in place within Wales.
Our own Third Sector Scheme, established in law and jointly owned by Welsh Government and the sector, remains the gold standard. It continues to guide how we work together across all policy areas devolved to Wales, from health and education to climate action and volunteering.
That partnership is built into the structures of government here, with the Third Sector Partnership Council and regular engagement through ministerial portfolios. The Covenant must complement these structures. It also offers a chance for other parts of the UK Government to learn from how partnership working is already embedded in Wales through Third Sector Support Wales (TSSW).
But we know that many voluntary organisations in Wales also work across non-devolved areas. From social security to justice, immigration to foreign policy, human rights to employment rights, the impact of UK Government decisions is felt by communities in every part of the country. That is why a clearer framework for engaging with the UK Government is long overdue, and why this new Covenant matters.
A NEW COLLABORATIVE STANDARD
The Covenant sets out shared principles for collaboration, mutual respect and trust between civil society and government. It affirms the independence of the sector and our right to speak out, campaign and hold government to account. It also commits UK Government departments to improving how they engage with the sector, including in the way they fund, commission and involve voluntary organisations in shaping policy. Of course, the test will be whether these principles are consistently applied across departments and in practice.
This matters for our work with the Department for Work and Pensions, the Ministry of Justice, the Home Office and others. Perhaps most significantly, it lays the foundations for a new approach to engagement with HM Treasury, recognising the role of civil society in delivering vital services while also shaping economic thinking and funding priorities. That is something WCVA has long called for, and we are hopeful that this commitment to partnership leads to real change.
It will also be important for our ongoing work with the Wales Office and the Ministry for Communities, Housing and Local Government, as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund comes to an end in March 2026. The Covenant gives us a new framework for engaging UK Government on how the (forthcoming) Local Growth Fund is designed and delivered in Wales. We will use this to make the case for a more transparent, accountable and collaborative approach to regional investment that includes the voice of Welsh communities and the voluntary organisations that support them.
Of course, a document alone does not change relationships. It is what happens next that counts. The Covenant is a first step. Implementation, accountability and cultural shift must follow. There is a long way to go to rebuild the trust and openness that has often been missing. But this new Covenant gives us a place to start.
In all of this, it is vital that the Covenant complements and respects devolved arrangements, and that has been a focus for us in its development. In Wales, we already have mature partnership working in place. Where the Covenant can add value is in ensuring that UK Government departments dealing with matters not devolved to Wales match those same standards of respect, transparency and collaboration when they work with Welsh civil society.
ENSURING IMPACT FOR WALES
We are committed to working with partners across the UK to make sure this new Covenant delivers on its promise. We will also ensure that the voice of the Welsh voluntary sector is heard as the implementation phase begins. If done well, this could lay the foundations for better policy, better funding relationships and ultimately better outcomes for the people and communities we all serve.